Massage device



j Patented Dec. 16, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY F. SAWTELLE, 0F LEOMINSTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

MASSAGE DEVICE.

Application led November 1, 1921.

To all ll2/1,0m t may concern.'

vBe it known that I, HENRY F. SAWTELLE, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Leominster, in the county of W'orcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Massage Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to massage devices and has for its object the provision of a device of this character which will be effectual in use, simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture.

The invention consists primarily of a handle having revolubly mounted therein a resilient roller, the periphery of'which is provided with a plurality of oppositely eX- tending helical ribs which intersect each other leaving a plurality of walled depressions.

The invention further consists in certain novel features of construction and arrange? ment of parts which will be understood readily by reference to the description of the drawings and to the claims to be hereinafter given.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, one preferred form thereof is-iliustrated in the drawings, this form having been found to give satisfactory and reliable results although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and the invention isnot limited to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein shown and described except asrequired by the scope of the appended claims.

Of the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a device embodying the principles of the present invention.

Figure 2 represents a transverse section of the same on line 2, 2, on Fig. 1, and

Figure 3 represents a longitudinal section of same on line 3, 3, on Fig. 2.

Similar characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

tIn the drawings, 10 is a handle having positioned therein the shank 11 ofva bifurcated member 12, the parallel ends 13 of which have threaded openings 14 therein.

' In the threaded openings 14 are secured the headed members 15, each provided. with Serial No. 512,128.

a cylindrical shank 16 disposed in an end of a tubular member or core 17.

This tubular member 17 is provided with a plurality of peripheral projections 18 which extend into the roller 19 and lock said roller to the said tubular member thereby causing the simultaneous rotation of these members..

The roller member 19 is of resilient material and provided with a plurality of peripheral helical ribs 20 extending from end to end thereof in opposite directions as clearly indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

These helical ribs 2O are angularly disposed relatively to each other and intersect each -other forming deep diamond-shaped depressions 21, each depression having a continuous boundary wall 22 which is preferably inclined.

Two oppositely disposed corners of each depression are alined longitudinally of the roller.

The outer face of each rib 20 is preferably flat as indicated in the drawings.

The entire roller is formed barrel-shaped with its largest diameter midway of its ends.

As the members 15 are secured to the parallel ends 13 with the cylindrical shanks 16 extending into the ends of the tubular member or core 17, the roller 19 will freely revolve on said Shanks 16 when the device is in use.

Heretofore massage devices have been used with helical grooves formed in the periphery thereof but it has been found in practice that better results have been obtainedl by a construction similar to that shown in the drawings in which walled depressions 21 are formed in the periphery by means of spiral ribs 20.

This form of roller secures a better hold upon the flesh being massaged and as the flesh projects into the depressions and the roller continues to revolve, the ribs 20 will come into contact with the projecting portion of the flesh and effectually massage the same.

The effectiveness of the massaging operation is greatly increased by forming the roller barrel shaped, as when thus constructed, the ribs contacting with the flesh entering the depressions 21 will be acted upon by the spiral ribs 20 in such a manner as to not only rub over the f'lesh in a linel parallel to the axis of the roller, but they I will also force the flesh outwardly from a point midway of the ends of said roller 19.

The peripheral member 17 is preferably made of hard rubber or some similar material and the roller 19 is preferably made of soft rubber or its equivalent and is prevented from movement relatively to said tnbnlar member 17 by means of the peripheral projections 18.

lVhen in use the operator grasps the handle 10 and applies considerable pressure to the roller as he moves said roller over the flesh of the person being treated.

As the roller 19 is moved in opposite directions, it will be caused to rotate about the axis of the members 15 and the ribs 30 will act upon the flesh in such a manner as4 It is`believed the operation and many advantages of the invent-ion will be understood Without further description.

Having thus described my invention, l claim:

In a massage device, a resilient barrelshaped roller having' its peripher f provided with i intersecting helical ribs, extending from end to end ot the roller, and dening diamond shaped depressions, opposite diagonal corners of which are arranged in parallel alinement. with the longitudinal axis of the roller.

Signed by me at 746 Old South Building. Boston, Mass., this 31st day of October.

HENRY F. SAVVTELLE. Witnesses:

WALTER E. LOMBARD, NATHAN C. LoMBARn. 

